Signal-torch



(No Model.)

'P. W. SHEPHARD.

SIGNAL TORCH.

Patented No-v. 3, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'PERCIVAL W. SH-EPI-IARD, 0F FOSTORIA, OHIO.

'sieNAL- oacH.

-SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 462,596,,date'd November 3, 1891.; Application filed July 13, 1891- Serial No. 399,398. No model.) a

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. PERCIVAL W. SHEP- HARD, of Fostoria, inthe county of Seneca and State of Ohio, have invented certain new andusefnl Improvements in Signal-'Ierches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, referencebeinghadtotheaccompanyingdrawings, which form partof this specification.

My invention relat-es to an improvement in signal-torches; and it consists in the construction and arrz'lngement 'of parts, which will be fully described hereinafter, and particularly referred to in the claims.

The object of my invention is to provide "a signal-torch for railway mid other similar.

uses witlr'a means for automatically causing it to assume an upright'position after it is lighted and thrown out of the train upon thev road-bed or to one side of the track, as the case may be.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevationof a torch which embodies my invention, the automatic supporting devices being shown folded. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the sam e,

the cap being removed, ready for ignition. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the torch, showing it burning and the supporting devices released. Fig. I is a perspective view of my torch, showing it supported adjacent to one of the rails of a railwaytrack.

X indicates a torch, which is of any desired size or construction which may be preferred, but which is preferably provided with a removable cap B and a removable lighting-plug After the cap 13 is removed the fusee I) (shown in Fig. 2) is lighted by rubbing the under side of the plug C against it and lighting it by friction in the same manner that a match is lighted. 'lhe fusee l) is provided with a chemical which can only be lighted by another chemical, which is placed upon theunder side of the plug, so that the torch will not be accidentally set on fire.

Secured to the opposite end of the torch are a suitable number of springs F, which are made flat, as shown in Fig. l, or with the spiral springs F, as shown in Fig. '2, and secured in. any suitable manner to the ends of these springs are the strips E,of anysuitable material, which support the torch in an upright position, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. These strips E are held in afjfolded position alongside of the torch, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, by meansof a combustible band G, which is placed innotches cut in the upper ends of the said strips and which pass around the torch and the strips, as shown.

Vhen the cap and plug are removed, as shown in Figrfl, the torch is ready to be lighted, as heretofore described, and after being lighted'is thrown from the train and rests upon its side until the band G is burned, which is almost instantly. As soon as the band is burned, the strips E automatically spring outward and the torch is supported in an upright position, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

I do not desire to limit myself to any parthe strips are secured, for various kinds may be used, as will be readily understood, With-' out departing from the spirit of my invention, and any desired number of them may be used, though I prefer to use .four, as here shown.

llaving thus described my invention, I claim- 1. A torch having supporting strips or arms, which automatically spring-outward, and a fusible means for connecting the strips in a folded position to theignition end of the said torch, substantially as described.

2. A torch having spring-actuated strips, which normally assume a position substantiallyat right angles to the torch for supporting it, and a fusible band which connects the ends of the strips to the ignition end of the torch, theparts combined substantially as specified. 4 t

3. In a torch, a casing, springs connected to one end thereof, which normally assume a position at an angle-thereto, strips which have one end secured to the said springs, and a- 

